KATSUJINKEN: The Life Giving Sword

Alan King had a comedy routine in the 1980s based entirely on obituaries – all culminating with the punchline “survived by his wife.” So I was amused to find this obituary: But amusement was soon replaced by other emotions. Outrage at the atrocities of the Bataan Death March (a chronicle of the rescue mission to free theContinue reading “KATSUJINKEN: The Life Giving Sword”

CIRCULAR DISSOLVES

Circular dissolves.  Master Keating explains the concept. What we explore here is a counter-clockwise dissolve but the concepts are applicable to clockwise dissolves. For the last several classes we have been exploring circular dissolves though the simplified cross-hand encounter – aihanmi katate dori (R/R, L/L grasps). Setting the encounter: Nage presents hand thumb up –Continue reading “CIRCULAR DISSOLVES”

USHIRO TENKAN

Gyaku hanmi katate dori ashi sabaki.  I use the static encounter as a starting point because it safely teaches powerful concepts. Aikido’s focus on connection is important to feel as a bodily (somatic) connection with your partner.  From the moment uke grasps nage’s hand, nage must sink (break plane, dropping the center) in order to capture theContinue reading “USHIRO TENKAN”